


Santiago's Letter To Juliet

by supermegafoxyawesomehotfredweasley



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Based on/Inspired by Letters To Juliet, F/F, F/M, Fate & Destiny, Gonna be FLUFFY, I am so excited about it tbh, Italy, Letters, Love, M/M, Multi, Verona
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-26 05:38:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7562467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supermegafoxyawesomehotfredweasley/pseuds/supermegafoxyawesomehotfredweasley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saphael Story Based on Letters To Juliet. </p><p>Simon goes to Italy with his fiancee and their friends, when he goes to Juliet's garden and finds a fifty year old letter asking Juliet for help from a woman named Veronica Santiago. When he wrote back he didn't expect an answer, let alone to find a few days later that Veronica had come back to Italy to find her long lost love. He especially didn't think he would end up falling in love with her uptight sassy grandson. But Simon learns the City of Love has plans different from what anyone expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Act 1 Scene 1

“This is Simon Lewis from The New Yorker. Hi Mr. Beil. How are you?” Simon answered his phone hoping this was the man he needed to speak to to find out if the famous WWII kiss was real or staged. After exchanging the typical conversation opening questions, Simon dug in. He really wanted to find the right person and get the fact straight as soon as possible. He had a trip planned to Italy with his friends. The trip was supposed to be Magnus and Alec’s romantic two month getaway after they got married, but then things changed. Or rather one thing really changed, Simon and Izzy got engaged so it turned into a group trip. Everyone had something to celebrate it seemed. Magnus and Alec were finally married. Simon and Izzy were engaged. Clary and Jace had been together for two years. He couldn’t wait to leave. 

 

“Can you tell me where you were when you found out World War Two was over? ... Oh Poughkeepsie. Thank you. Have a nice day.” Disappointed Simon hung up the phone and kept walking through the city he called home. He took his lunch break in Central Park. This was the most calming place in the city for Simon. It had nothing but pleasant memories and he needed them right now. It seemed as though everyone had been moving forward in their work lives and he was stuck. Izzy had finished culinary school, and now she was opening her own restaurant, she was an amazing chef. That was a big part of the reason they had agreed to go on the trip in the first place, Izzy would get to meet suppliers while they were there. Clary’s work had made it into a gallery in upper Manhattan. Jace had just gotten home from a six month tour in Iraq. Magnus’ spring line was featured in New York Fashion week and Alec was about to become the Dean at The Institute, a private school uptown. And there was Simon, stuck being a fact-checker, when he should be writing. 

 

Simon got up from the metal table and took one last look around at all the different people playing frisbee and roller skating around the nearby pond. He then began making calls again as he walked back to the office. It wasn’t until he was walking just past the spot where the photograph was taken that he finally made the right phone call. “Do you remember where you were at the end of World War Two?”

 

That’s when he heard the answer he had been longing or on the other end on the telephone. “You were in Times Square?! Yes this is about the kiss! Can you tell me about it?”

 

The man on the other end had a gruff voice, but despite that Simon could tell he was smiling reliving the memory. “The nurse was the bee’s knees! It was completely random, no one expected what he did, but it was an act of true love. He did not know her but he loved being home and she smiled at him when their eyes met and he kissed her. Must have immediately fallen in love with her.”

 

“And you are sure?” Simon said excitedly, having just heard the answer he, and anyone who saw the picture wanted to hear. 

 

“Oh Absolutely!” 

  
  


“You are one hundred percent positive? Because I don’t often talk with fact-checkers, but I need to know you are sure.” Simon’s boss Audrey Bernard, the editor of The New Yorker, said. 

 

“Yes. Petty Officer, FIrst Class Robert Beil, the man you can see smiling to the left of the couple in the photograph, said it was a random act of true love and that the nurse was the bee’s knees. He was pretty insistent that it was love at first sight for the sailor after the nurse gave him a smile through the crowd before he grabbed her and kissed her.” Simon smiled, though he was a nervous wreck, as he was going to suggest he write at the end of their conversation. 

 

“Good. Great, people will love that. Supposed we all want to know true love is out there.” She smiled and set a possible cover page down on her desk. “Speaking of love, Simon. I hear you are going on a trip to the city of love with your fiancee. You know to be honest with you dear, I always thought you were gay.”

 

Simon let out a small laugh before replying, “I’m bisexual, but anyway. Um so I was thinking that maybe while I was in Italy I could um, maybe write?”

 

“Oh but Simon dear you’re our best fact-checker. Have fun in Italy and give your fiancee my best.” She was barely paying Simon any mind, having gone back to doing her work. Simon knew that he would be stuck fact-checking when he got home, but he pushed that to the back of his mind and walked to the restaurant. Izzy had her hands full cutting tomatoes for a sauce when he walked in. When she realized he was there she looked up at him and immediately put down her knife. “Oh Simon I have to tell you what you missed! Clary and Jace broke up!” 

 

“What? Why?” Simon asked astonished.

 

“Jace met someone while he was overseas and fell head over heals in love with her. Her name is Lydia, and she’s great and all that junk or whatever. But clary already bought tickets to come with us and she can’t get her money back. So now the poor thing is going to be the fifth wheel on our trip. I feel so bad for her. But at the same time it’s so nice to see Jace so happy. It’s all very confusing, but things are great here, you have to try this -”

 

“Izzy. Iz. Izzy. Can I just point something out quick?” Simon interrupted her as she reached for a spoon of something to try. 

 

“Sure but try this first!” She put the spoon in his mouth, the sauce she was working on was delicious. 

 

“We leave for Italy in the morning and you have yet to pack.” Simon smiled at her and she grinned back.

 

“I guess I got a bit preoccupied. How about I finish up here and then go pack and you go see Clary, she could really use her best friend right now.” Izzy suggested. Simon nodded and gave her a quick kiss before he left. 

 

It only took him about ten minutes to get to Clary’s, where he found her sobbing while looking at a painting she had done of Jace. He sat down on the floor next to her and pulled her into his arms. She cried into his shoulder while he rubbed her back for about an hour before pulling away to look at her face. He grabbed a tissue from the coffee table and wiped away her tears. He then got up, walked over to her fridge, and got out a pint of chocolate ice cream and two spoons. 

 

“You’re going to be okay. You’re Clary Freaking Fray. You have been through worse than Jace Wayland. And now you know that he isn’t the best one out there for you.” Simon said, hoping it would get Clary to say something.

 

Clary pulled the spoon out of her mouth and swallowed her ice cream before responding. “Thanks Simon. You know what? You’re right.”

 

“Aren’t I always?” He said giving her his signature joking smirk. She swatted at his arm.

 

“Don’t push it Lewis. What I meant was I leave to visit the City of Love in less than twelve hours and I am going to just focus on that. I mean Juliet found love there. Why can’t I?” Clary said scooping more ice cream out of the tub.

  
“That’s exactly what you should do! Find your romeo in Verona! That’s what I’d be doing if I didn’t have Izzy!” Simon joked and Clary laughed. Simon left Clary’s and returned home not long after that to find Izzy asleep and her bags sitting by the front door ready to go. The next morning the three of them along with Magnus and Alec were on a plane headed to Verona, Italy, none of them having any idea just what the City of Love had in store for them. 


	2. Act 1 Scene 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon's pre-honeymoon with Izzy isn't starting the way he thought it would. However it does lead him to the courtyard of Juliet Capulet and some very interesting people.

Italy was the most picturesque place Simon had ever seen. Normally, Simon had found, postcards and photographs looked clean and beautiful, but when you get there it looks as if someone dumped the contents of a vacuum all over the place that once looked like the picture in your hand. Verona was not that way, it looked even better than the pictures in Simon’s opinion. The cobblestone walkways, beautifully built homes and storefronts, and the roads were bordered by the most incredible vineyards. Everything you could possibly want from the City of Love. 

The city itself was exactly how Simon expected it, the rest, however, was different. Simon thought that he and Izzy would meet with a couple of suppliers (so they couple write at least part of this off as business) and spend the rest of the time together. This was exactly the opposite of how the first two days went. They spent almost the entire time visiting with suppliers, not even just the two of them, Clary went with them. No that Simon minded having Clary around, he just wished Isabelle would leave some time for it to just be the two of them. They had given up going on a honeymoon to go on this trip instead. But Clary being around wasn’t nearly as upsetting as Izzy continuously dragging them to the next vineyard or winery, this was supposed to be their honeymoon but it was turning into a business trip. He loved that Izzy was happy, but he couldn’t take much more of it. 

The afternoon of the second day Izzy got a phone call and she held up a finger to silence Simon as she walked away speaking in rushed rough italian. Simon sighed and Clary looked at him concerned, she knew him better than anyone and she knew he wasn’t having a good time. 

“Simon. If you aren’t having a good time, just tell her, she won't make you go everywhere.” Clary smiled softly, trying to comfort him. 

“I know ... it’s just we spent all of our honeymoon budget to come here and we haven’t spent a minute together since we got here and I was hoping-” 

Simon was cut off when Izzy came rushing back, excitedly squealing, “You guys! That was the one supplier I didn’t think we’d get to see! He wants to meet us in a forest 120 kilometers away so we can see these very rare truffles! Let’s go!”

“Wait 120 kilometers?” Simon said, already sounding exhausted. 

“It’s not like miles Simon.” Clary said and Izzy giggled behind her. 

Simon shook his head. “No I understand the difference, I took science classes and unlike some people I paid attention to them. I just honestly don’t really feel like traveling 120 kilometers to see a mushroom.”

“It’s not a mushroom it’s a truffle Simon! It’s what you put on top of the dish.” Izzy corrected him.   
“Yeah, I get that I just don’t feel like going to see a mushroom, I want to see other things. Okay?” Simon practically begged. 

“Okay,” Izzy said after a few seconds of thinking. “We don’t have to go just don’t call it a mushroom.”

A half smile showed up on Simon’s face. Though he was glad he wouldn’t have to go a 120 kilometers to see a mushroom truffle, he felt guilty. Izzy and Clary both seemed pretty excited about seeing it. He got in the car and thought about giving in and changing his mind, but he decided not to. He wanted to write and there was no way a glorified mushroom was going to inspire him to do so. He did have an idea that would make all parties involved happy however, so he voiced it. 

“You know, you guys could go to the truffle place and I could go sight see. I think there are some places close to the hotel I could walk to.” 

Clary started clapping and Izzy gasped. “Simon you genius! It’s a perfect Win-win!” 

Simon grinned, it was a little sad as this was supposed to be they’re pre-honeymoon, but he was okay with it. He would get to sightsee and Izzy would be doing what she loved. It was perfect. So they drove the rest of the way back to their hotel in the heart of Verona. Almost as soon as they arrived, Izzy and Clary left to see the stupid mushroom and Simon was left to his own devices. So he started wandering the streets, until he saw a sign that said Juliet’s courtyard was around the corner. That is where he decided to go. 

\----------------------------------------------------

As he walked into the tan and yellow stone courtyard he passed a woman who was sobbing violently and speaking unintelligible sad spanish. He wanted to comfort her, try to help in anyway. He handed her a hankie from his pocket so she could wipe the streaky black marks from her face where tears had smeared her mascara. She wiped her face and went to give it back before he said, “Take it.”

Then he continued into the courtyard. It was quite a sight to see. There was a statue of young Juliet that people were taking photos with, there were women writing letters as they sat on benches looking to be various degrees of unhappy, and a whole wall of letters. Pieces of paper covered is countless languages and of different lengths stuck in between bricks, in cracks and tapped to the wall. Simon took a seat in the middle of the courtyard and watched, suddenly he was inspired to write so he pulled out his journal and an old pen. Nothing really changed until it got a little later and most of the guests had filled out. Simon sat and watched as a woman came in with a small basket and began removing all of the letters from the wall. He didn’t say anything as she walked out of Juliet’s courtyard, but in a split second he decided to follow her. He followed her around the corner and through an open gate, up some stairs, and stopped at the door she entered. He was now unsure of what to do, he just followed a stranger two blocks without saying a word to her. What was he supposed to do? 

Simon almost turned around and left, but his mouth decided that was a terrible plan and spoke for him. Without him even realizing it shakey italian was leaving his mouth. “Um parli inglese?” 

The woman from the courtyard turned around. She was quite beautiful, tall, lean, dark hair and a kind face. “Oh Grazie Dio! Take this basket and ... come si dice? Dig in!”

Simon looked at her as if she had grown a second and third head in front of his eyes. “Dig in?”

The look on his face was suddenly mirrored on her face. “Are you not the translator?”

“Um no... Actually, my name is Simon. I um followed you, from the courtyard. Because I saw you put the letters in a basket and I thought that was weird. I just was wondering um... why?” Simon caught himself babbling after awkwardly blurting out that he had followed he all the way here. 

The woman looked at him for a moment before noticing the journal under his arm. “Oh, you’re a writer.”

“Um well, yeah. Trying anyway. I used to be a musician before I realised I was better putting words on paper than singing them. Anyways, yes I am..?” Simon said. The woman she had followed here, as well as the three who were already in the room, didn’t seem to mind his presence, but he was still nervous they’d be mad at him for intruding. 

After a moment’s thought the woman smiled at him. She began to walk to a window on the other side of the room, motioning with an ink stained hand for him to follow. “Come here. I will show you.”

Simon followed and looked out the window and saw it overlooked the courtyard, the walk had ended up just being a large circle around the area. From here he could see the last couple of ladies sitting on benches writing, the statue of fair Juliet, and the lovely rose bushes that fenced in most of the area. For a moment Simon forgot that he was there with other people, looking down he wanted to return to the courtyard and write Juliet his own letter. As soon as the thought entered his head he was confused by it. He was happy with Izzy, wasn’t he? They were engaged after all. Before he had time to dwell on the thought, the burnett spoke again. “They come from all over the world everyday.” 

“And taking their letters. Don’t you think that’s a bit wrong? Like taking pennies from a well, or reading someone’s mind without their permission?” Simon replied quickly, not understanding why she thought taking these letters was okay.

The woman smiled at him. “How else would we give them answers?”

Simon was almost too awestruck to answer her. “Oh my god. You write them all back? You’re all Juliet.”

She nodded as she spoke. “Yes. Her secretaries.” 

Next she motioned to the woman sitting in the closest chair to where simon was standing by the window. She looked to be in her late sixties, with soft blue eyes, and a black pair of glasses hanging around her neck. Her hair was mostly gray, but Simon guessed it had once been a dirty blond color. “Donatella has been married 51 years to the same man. She handles husband problems.”

Donatella waved and Simon waved back. The old woman then spoke in an almost joking tone. “Husbands are like wine. They take a long time to mature.”

Simon laughed before the brunette continued with the introductions. The next woman sat beside Donatella. She must have been in her early fifties if Simon had to guess. She wore a black dress and a pearl necklace with her hair up in a tight bun. “Francesca is a nurse. She deals with illness and loss.”

Francesca gave Simon a warm welcoming smile which he returned. The last woman was sitting on the other side of the table from Donatella, which Simon now noticed was covered in letters to and from the ladies at the table. The last woman looked about the same age as Donatella with short bright red hair and glasses. She also threw a smile Simons way. “And Maria...”

Maria gave the brunette a sassy look. “Why must you sigh when you say my name?”

The brunette laughed. “She has 12 children, 29 grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren. She writes whatever she likes.” 

Simon turned back to the brunette, wondering both her name and what she wrote about. “And what about you?” 

Maria looked at the letter in her hands and sighed, handing it to the brunette. “Isabella answers the ones you can barely read.”

“Yes.” The brunette, Isabella, said. “The lover’s quarrels, the break ups, the truly tangled hearts. Someone has to.”

“Isabella!!” Someone shouted up the stairs. Isabella sighed. “My mother. Would you like to stay for dinner Simon?” 

She asked this and all the ladies filed out of the room, so Simon followed, though he knew he couldn’t really stay for dinner after taking a glance at the Star Wars watch Clary had bought him for his last birthday. Izzy was likely already back at their hotel room waiting for him. 

Simon told Isabella he couldn’t stay as soon as they got downstairs. Isabella then spoke to her mother in fluent Italian. They argued for a few minutes before Isabella said. “Mamma, this is not an insult.”

The elderly italian woman scoffed. “Not an insulto!? l make a beautiful dish, big enough for the whole town, and he says no.”

Simon immediately felt guilty for saying no and looked at the floor as he said. “l would love to, but l do... l have to go.”

Isabella’s mother laughed. “This is the problem of the americani. Always running.”

Isabella looked astonished at her mother. “Please, Mamma.”

Simon began to babble. “l have to meet my fiance, Izzy. We separated for the day so she could see this mushroom thing and we said we’d meet at our room and I completely lost track of time and I am so late to meet her and I would really hate to keep her waiting.”

“Fiance!?” Isabella’s mother exclaimed. “At least take some dessert for you and your fiance.”

Simon did and made his way back to his hotel room and his fiance. Izzy was waiting for him in the room, just as he had expected. 

“Hey look at that. A glass of wine with Clary, seeing the truffles, and 146 miles each way and I still beat you home?” Izzy laughed at him.

“Congratulations.” Simon said sarcastically, but gave his lovely fiance a kiss. 

“So?” Izzy said after Simon let silence hang just a little too long as he thought back on his day.

“What?” 

“How was Verona? Without me? Empty? Pointless?” Izzy joked.

“Um. Half empty, I guess? I actually met the Secretaries of Juliet. So I had an interesting day.” Simon responded, not quite missing that it didn’t seem to bother Izzy that he hadn’t really missed her on his outing. From what it sounded like she hadn’t really missed him either. 

“Juliet, Simon? Like Juliet Capulet from the Shakespeare play?” 

“Yes. There are these women that call themselves the Secretaries of Juliet, and they write letters to people that write letters to Juliet. And then these secretaries, they work for the city of Verona, and, like, all these people, these brokenhearted women all over the world, come and they write letters and leave them on the wall in Juliet’s courtyard. And-” Simon was speaking excitedly, hoping Izzy would share in his excitement. But she cut him off after smelling whatever it was that Isabella’s mother had sent back with him. 

“What’s in the bag?” Izzy asked as she picked it up and opened it.

Simon shrugged his shoulders and decided to continue his story. “l don't really know. So anyway, these heart broken women post these letters. They post them on the wall in Juliet's courtyard, and then these secretaries come back with this basket and they take the letters off the wall every single day. And then they write back, as Juliet, to all the letters that have return addresses on them so these women can have answers. This is their job. l mean, it's so unbelievable. This is their passion, writing, like mine. And it's what they do every day!”

Izzy took a bite of the dessert that he brought home and was getting increasingly excited about it as he finished what he was saying and he could tell at that point she had stopped listening to him. “They literally will work all day, every day. And they've been doing it for years.”

“Simon! Wow. This is incredible! This is amazing!” She was jumping up and down at this point.

“And they...” She really wasn’t listening. So he gave up and tried to get as excited about the pastry in her hand as she was. 

“This is great. Try this, try this. You have to try this. Oh, my God. No... Give it a good bite. Come on!” She laughed as she fed him and she was right. The dessert was amazing. He decided he would take her to meet Isabella’s mom and learn the recipe. It wasn’t entirely selfless however. He was dying to learn more about the Secretaries of Juliet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! If you did please comment!! It absolutely makes my day!! The next chapter should be up soon! In the meantime, check out my other Saphael fic, The Statistical Probability of Mending a Vampire's Broken Heart, at: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7155287
> 
> Thanks for reading, kudos, and comments!!!!


	3. Act 1 Scene 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon finds a letter written fifty years ago. He also find he is going to have quite a bit of time to himself in Italy.

Simon brought Izzy and Clary to Isabella’s home the very next day. Izzy was so elated to be learning family recipes that had been passed down in the italian family for generations that she and Clary forgot about Simon almost immediately upon walking in the house. Isabella offered Simon a chance to help write Juliet letters with the secretaries while Izzy cooked. He excitedly accepted the invitation and the two walked around the corner to the mailbox to drop off the last of the letters from the day before.

 

“Your Izzy,” Isabella said, Izzy’s name sounding quite funny to Simon coming from her lips. “She is very passionate.”

 

Simon let out a small laugh that turned sad as he thought about it. Izzy had always been so passionate, that is what he had originally fallen for, the beautiful girl passionate about food (even though at the start she couldn’t make anything remotely edible). She used to have that passion for him as well, but it seemed to have faded over time, though he wrote it off as growing used to the relationship. He realized he was taking quite a long time to answer Isabella, so he made a joke. “Yes Isabelle. Yes she is. But you know while imitation is the highest form of flattery and Izzy has been acting italian since we got here, her imitation is not very good.”

 

“Bella Please. And it did not seem like my mother minded at all.” The brunette laughed to herself. She then looked at Simon a little more seriously. “May I ask why you I did not see her wearing a ring? A girl should have a ring Simon.”

 

Simon’s heart sank, that was not his choice at all. “Well, I wanted her to. There was never really a grand proposal. See two years ago almost, we went on a picnic one night and I just decided I had to ask her, right then and there. She said yes and the next day I suggested we go pick out a ring and she said she didn’t want one. I wanted her to wear one, but I can’t make that choice for her. So she hasn’t worn one at all the whole of our engagement.”

 

Bella looked at him sadly and nodded her head. Silently they continued walking back to Juliet’s courtyard as the sun set to collect the day’s letters to be answered. As they walked he wondered if Clary and Izzy were having fun and if they missed him. He pushed the thought into the back of his mind as he watched the last girl in the courtyard finish writing her letter. She was short with red hair and a heart shaped face. She wiped a tear from under her eye and placed her letter in between some bricks in the wall. She then left the courtyard heels clicking and green dress flowing behind her, leaving Simon and Bella alone gathering letters.

 

As they collected the letters Simon started to get a small ball of anxiety in the pit of his stomach and decided to talk to Bella about it, since she was the expert. “Bella, do you ever get like scared. I mean what if I help and I give someone terrible advice?”

 

Bella thought about this for a moment as she pulled a green envelope from the wall and examined it before putting it in her basket. “Well, I think the responses less often need advice, than they do need comfort. We usually offer personal stories, but when they need advice we just tell them what we would do. That may not solve the situation exactly how the movies would, but it always provides closure.”

 

Simon nodded, the knot in his stomach quickly untied. The wall, which only a few minutes earlier had been plastered with letters was now nearly clear. He spotted the letter the redhead had left and jogged over to grab the last letter. He kneeled down to reach it as she had placed it further down on the wall and pulled it from between the brick and plaster. Suddenly a brick and some plaster fell from the old building and Simon’s eyes grew wide as he looked over at Bella. She just laughed and he didn’t feel so bad. He then looked at his handy work once again. To his surprise there was a letter tucked behind the brick, it looked like it had been there for decades.

 

Simon reached into the hole he had made and plucked the letter from it’s resting place. Bella looked at it in surprise, “Is that for us?”

 

Simon looked at the front of the envelope, scrolled in delicate cursive was the name Juliet Capulet and a return address in London. He nodded confirmation to Bella, who looked as surprised as Simon felt. The letter looked like it had been there twice as long as Simon himself had been alive, possibly as long as or longer than Maria and the other secretaries had been writing letters.  Simon placed the redheads letter in the basket in Bella’s arms and together they returned to the Secretary's office, the water stained envelope still unopened in Simon’s hand. He had found it, completely by chance, and somehow without even reading the letter he felt like this letter would change everything.

 

When they get to the office the other ladies where already sitting behind the old but sturdy table waiting for Bella and Simon to return with the letters. Bella dumped the basket out on the table and looked at Simon. “You will not believe what our newest secretary found today. A letter hidden behind a stone in the wall.”

 

Simon held up the letter as he stood behind a chair whose varnish was chipping off, too excited and nervous about reading this girl’s letter to sit down like the others.

 

Maria spoke up first. “It looks like it has been here longer than I have. When is it from Simon? What does it say?”

 

“Read it aloud to us.” Francesca suggested while Donatella and Bella nodded.

 

Simon opened the letter carefully, making sure to not rip the old paper. He pulled out a letter with the same delicate cursive that was on the front of the envelope. “It’s dated for fifty years ago, almost to the day.”

 

Simon read through it himself once before reading it outloud to the group of women in front of him. “I didn’t go to him Juliet. I didn’t go to Lorenzo. His eyes were so full of trust. I promised I’d meet him to run away together because my parent don’t approve. But instead I left him, waiting for me below our tree. Waiting and wondering where I was. I’m in Verona now, I retune to Madrid in the morning, and I am so afraid. Please Juliet, tell me what I should do. My heart is breaking, and I have no one else to turn to. Love, Veronica.”

 

The other Secretaries looked awe stricken. Simon felt it too. Francesca whispered, “And it’s been there all these years?”

 

Simon nodded. Donatella, who had risen from her chair like the other during the story began to sit back down. “I think she came back to find her one true love.”

 

“And they had ten children and still make passionate love every night.” Marie added smiling and winking at Simon who would never admit he blushed.

 

“Except he got bald and fat and she has to do all the work.” Francesca scoffed before laughing at her own cynicism.

 

“Or.” Donatella responded. “Maybe she said in London and married a duke and lived happily ever after, just like me.”

 

“Ah, but you married and accountant and not a duke.” Francesca replied sassily.

 

“Nobody’s perfect.” Donatella deadpanned.

 

It was Maria’s turn to try and finish the story which had derailed. “And I bet when she’s making love to that duke, she’s imagining her first love, Lorenzo.”

 

These were all possibilities, and would make everything okay. But that wasn’t enough for Simon. He knew the likelihood of an answer finding this women would be slim to none, in fact there was a chance she was already dead, but something in him demanded he writing back. He needed to do everything in his power to give true love a chance, Dumbledore had taught him at a young age that love was the most powerful magic in the world. If there was a chance he could give this Veronica her happily ever after, or even closure on this fifty year old heart ache he had to do it. SHe deserved an answer. He looked around the room at each of the women sitting in front of him, his gase falling on the one who had invited him in the first place. “Isabella. I have to write back.”

 

The woman gave him a warm smile before holding a pen out in front of her, “Then answer her.”

 

Simon beamed at her and took the pen. He had to think about this answer. This wasn’t just any letter. The young girl who had written it would now be an old woman, much more experienced in love and wiser than Simon. There were several drafts of nonsense before Simon finally knew what he wanted to say to Veronica and truly started writing the letter. As he wrote the other secretaries began to finish their work and leave for the day. When Simon was finally please with his answer to Veronica, he pulled her original letter out again. He ran his fingers over the words, hoping beyond hope that his answer would reach the girl who wrote the letter, even if it was fifty years late. He tucked Veronica’s original letter into the envelope with his response before sealing the envelope and placing it on top of the stack to be mailed that night.  

 

He walked back to his hotel and into the room he shared with Izzy, who was waiting up for him. She gave him a peck on the cheek when he walked in. He could not wait to tell Izzy about the letter and his response. “How was your day?”

 

Simon smiled at her as wide as he could. “It was amazing. I can’t wait to tell you. How was Angelina? How was cooking with a real italian mom?”

 

“Oh Simon it was incredible. I think I might be in love with her.” Izzy said.

 

While his fiance was bisexual like himself, he knew it was a joke. “Oh you’re in love with her are you?”

 

“Yes.” Izzy laughed. “But really Simon. She was amazing. She cooks without a recipe, she just know what should happen next. And Clary got in on it too and she was so instinctual. It was just.. Wow. Angelina has invited us to cook with her again.”

 

“Yeah? I -” Simon began before he was cut off.

 

“Yeah, you know I think I could learn a lot from her. Oh sorry. You go.” Izzy said, clearly wanting to continue her story, she was bursting at the seems, but she didn’t want to totally run over Simon’s clear excitement either.

 

“Oh. Um. Just really quick.” Simon began. “I have just had the most amazing day. Like really it was almost as cool as becoming Spiderman. Okay maybe not that cool because nothing would be THAT cool, but okay here it is. I got to answer a letter that was written fifty years ago. It was almost like time travelling. Or it felt like it, because I was me now, but really I’m answering a letter from a young girl fifty years ago. So like no TARDIS, but still awesome and sorta time bending. And look, I know it might not get there, but it just felt so good to write.”

 

Simon was babbling, he knew, but he was just so excited. He looked up at Izzy, hoping she would be sharing in his excitement, but she just looked thoughtful. Not exactly what he was hoping for.

 

“I think you should spend more time with them.” Izzy said decidedly.

 

Simon’s eyebrows shot up. “Why?”

 

“Because it’s your passion, right?” Izzy replied. “And because it works out perfectly. I just got off the phone with Senior Morrini and he’s invited me and Clary to this Amazing wine auction in Livorno.”

 

“Livorno?” Simon replied, not surprised in the slightest.

 

“Yeah. And it’s super exclusive Simon. I don’t know if I can get another ticket. I’d only be gone like a day or two, max. I mean I can see if I can get another ticket, but I don’t know if I can get a third ticket.” Izzy was the one babbling now, but it was because she was nervous. She desperately wanted to go to the auction, but didn’t want to upset Simon.

 

“Yeah! I mean a wine auction? In Livorno?” Simon said, clearly expressing his disinterest in going to the girl who knew him so well.

 

“I know I know. It sounds terrible. Look Simon I feel so terrible. I mean I miss you already.” Izzy said standing to pour herself another glass of wine. Simon rolled his eyes and laughed. It looked like he’d be spending more time alone on his pre-honeymoon than he had originally intended, but he didn’t mind too much, he would be preoccupied writing letters and seeing the things he wanted to see. The next morning he was being reassured that Izzy would be back in two days and she would miss him the whole time.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! If you did please comment!! It absolutely makes my day!! The next chapter should be up soon! In the meantime, check out my other Saphael fic, The Statistical Probability of Mending a Vampire's Broken Heart, at: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7155287
> 
> Thanks for reading, kudos, and comments!!!!


	4. Act 1 Scene 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise visitor to the Secretaries' office leads to the beginning of quite an adventure for Simon and a couple new friends.

“Listen to what this poor girl writes,” Francesca begins to read from the letter in her hand. “Juliet, is there anything worse in this world than a man?”

 

Donatella laughs dryly before responding, “Si, due men! Sorry Simon.”

 

Simon laughs with them, “No, I totally get the men sucking thing. My last boyfriend was the worst. We were together three years and it took me two years and 11 months to realize how manipulative he was. But things got better, I guess. I mean I met Izzy not long after that.”

 

They then returned to work writing letters, occasionally reading something aloud to the others when the need presented itself. Simon was responding to a letter, encouraging a young girl to tell the girl she loved who she felt, when a man knocked on the door. He was dressed well in a light suit and white shirt which looked amazing against his tanned skin. His hair was a rich dark brown and looked soft and thick. He looked to be about a half a head shorter than Simon, and incredibly handsome. He was just Simon’s type, if he weren’t already engaged.  

 

“Excuse me,” He began, his voice deep and commanding attention without being rude. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but are you the Secretaries of Juliet?”

 

“Yes, that’s us.” Bella confirmed. 

 

The young man nodded. “Great, then may I ask which one of you wrote this letter to my grandmother, Veronica Santiago?”

 

Simon felt his heart skip a beat. Not only had his letter already made it to London, but it had found the right person. Or family at least. For a moment his blood ran cold however, if Veronica’s grandson was here instead of her, did that mean she was gone? If she was gone why would he have come? She had to be alive, he wouldn’t be here if she wasn’t. Who flies from London to Verona to scold a stranger? Simon was hoping not this guy. He was so happy that his letter had made it, the more he thought about it the more amazing it was that it found the correct person, and so fast at that. It was practically a miracle. 

 

Simon stood and finally found his voice and responded to the beautiful man in front of him. “I wrote that. I can’t believe that you got it.”

 

“Yes well, living in London, you tend to stay in your family home.” The brunet in front of him stated plainly. 

 

Simon beamed at the man as he walked up to him, “Wow this is amazing. I mean it’s less than a week since I wrote it.” 

 

The man put his arm around Simon and they walked to the window, away from the others. “It was a very thoughtful letter.”

 

He then grabbed simon by the shoulders and practically shook him. “Now, what were you thinking?”

 

Simon looked at him not sure if he should be offended or amused at the question. When he spoke the response to the man’s question was polite enough, but had a bit of Simon’s sass tacked on to the end. “I was thinking that she deserved and answer.” 

 

He man before him huffed a laugh. “Fifty years ago maybe! But not now.” 

 

Simon raised his brow. “I’m sorry I wasn’t aware that true love had an expiration date.” 

 

“True Love?” The shorter man scoffed. “You must be joking. You are aren’t you? Could you imagine if she hadn’t seen sence?”

 

“Well yes, actually. You wouldn’t be here, and that would be an upside.” Simon shot back. Honestly, who did this guy think he was? Simon had responded to Veronica, not whatever this guy’s name was. And who doesn’t believe in true love? 

 

“Oh and who are you? Some lonely American boy who spends his pathetic days living vicariously through others?” The man spat. 

 

That hurt. Simon’s upbringing had been pretty lonely until Clary had moved in next door he didn’t have any friends at all. He had once lived vicariously through his favorite movies, comics, and books. He was made fun of for it all the time as a kid. While these memories bubbled to the surface Simon’s quips lost their bite. “I’m not lonely. I’m engaged.” 

 

The man made a face. “My condolences to the bride.”

 

This guy was getting on Simon’s nerves. So he came back with the first thing that came to mind. Which he admits was not the best comeback. “Well first of all you don’t know me. I’m bisexual, so I could be engaged to a man. I’m not, but I could be. And anyways.”

 

“My previous statement stands.” The man cuts Simon off and turned away. Simon gaucks at him and he strides out of the room. Simon isn’t sure why, but he follows the man down the stairs and out into the street. 

 

“What? So that’s all you have to say? You came from London to what lecture and insult me? Wish I had that kind of money.” Simon said frustrated with the situation.

 

The man whipped  around still walking backwards towards Juliet’s Courtyard. “No. I came because I couldn’t let my grandmother come on her own.”

 

That stopped Simon dead in his tracks, the man stopped as well. “Veronica is Here?! Why?”

 

“You may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I think even you might be able to figure that one out.” The man responded.

 

Simon felt his heart grow 10 sizes bigger in his chest. His letter had made a difference. “Oh my god, he’s come to find her Lorenzo. That’s awesome!” 

 

“Awesome?” Responded the other. “And if Lorenzo doesn’t want to see her, has forgotten her, is gravely ill, or hey dead let’s say just for fun. What then?”

 

Simon had that about all of that. But he still felt it was worth it. He didn’t voice these thoughts however. He just stood there surrounded by people leaving the cafe behind her and the courtyard around the corner. The man nodded. “I thought so.”

 

He began walking away from Simon again. But as Simon thought about the brave woman who had received his letter and decided to do something about it, he knew he had to meet her. This story had gone from cool to unbelieveable and he had to meet the woman with the moxie to make it happen. He quickly caught up with the man in the light suit, “I wanna meet her. I’d like to meet Veronica.”

 

“And I’d like to play for Manchester United, but I’m shit at football.” 

 

“What you don’t think she wants to meet me?” Simon asked. Honestly she had to want to meet him right? It would be like getting a Hogwarts letter and not going if she didn’t. 

 

The man smirked at him. “I can honestly say, I don’t think she wants to meet someone who can jam ‘ohmigod’ and ‘awesome’ into the same sentence.”

 

“Well first of all there was a definite pause before that’s awesome. So it was two sentences. And second of all-” Simon stopped talking as soon as he realized the other had turned away and began walking in the opposite direction. He had never been so irritated in his life. So he did what any reasonable person would do. Simon followed him. 

 

They walked through picturesque archways made of stones thousands of years ago and over cobblestones that made a soft clicking noise when you walked on them. Everyone else was observing the beauty of Verona, everyone except Simon who was staring at a strangers back trying not to lose him. Simon finally caught up as he got to the archway that lead to Juliet’s Courtyard. He saw his new “friend” walk up to an elderly woman, she was clearly his grandmother. She was a tad shorter than him with silver hair. Though she was older, her age had not much affected her beauty, he could tell she had been beautiful when she was his age. He imagined her to almost look like Izzy. Simon heard the man softly speak to her, “Come on abuela, they are closing down. We should be going.”

 

Simon was glad the man didn’t speak to his grandmother the way he had spoken to him at least. He walked up to the pair and as soon as the man saw Simon from where he was standing behind the older woman, who simon assumed was Veronica, he made an exasperated face. Simon paid him no mind and instead looked to Veronica. “Um excuse me. Veronica? Hi, my name is Simon, Simon Lewis. I’m the one who wrote you the letter.”

 

Veronica practically jumped from shock. She looked at him, surprised, turned to her grandson, and then back to Simon. “The letter. Fom Juliet?”

 

When Simon nodded, she smiled. “Goodness thank you. Thank you, but however did you find us?”

 

“It was your grandson who found me actually.” Simon started. 

 

Veronica turned to her grandson eyebrows raised, who started blabbering, “See the thing is I thought um...”

 

“No, He was very sweet, and  _ very charming,  _ and  _ he _ thought that you might like to meet me.” Simon said to the lovely old woman in front of him, while her grandson looked extremely relieved at the lie Simon told. Not that Veronica bought it. 

 

“Oh. How uncharacteristically thoughtful of you dear.” Veronica smirked. Simon had to stifle a giggle. 

 

The man smirked back at his grandmother. “Yes well under the circumstances it seemed a bit churlish not to meet the person responsible for this voyage of lunacy.”

 

Veronica placed her hand on Simon’s shoulder. “Raphael doesn’t approve, which makes this all the more fun.”

 

Simon couldn’t stop the laugh that came from him that time. And now he new the shorter man’s name. Raphael. It fit him very well, as if the name was made specifically for him. Before Simon could dwell on the fact further however, Veronica spoke again. 

 

“We were just going for a glass of wine. Would you like to join us Simon?”

 

“Absolutely not.” Raphael burst out. 

 

Veronica seemed shocked by his blatant lack of manners at that moment. “What?”

 

“Absolutely not? Abuela, it’s been a long day. Too long a day.” Raphael backtracked. 

 

Please with his retraction, Veronica teased him. “Well okay darling. Have a good sleep.”

 

Veronica kissed Raphael on the cheek and turned to Simon, knowing her grandson would follow them. “Do you know somewhere we could go?” 

 

“I actually know the perfect place.” Simon smiled at the pair and lead the way to Bella’s mother's restaurant outside the Secretaries’ office. He asked the host to get a table large enough for seven and made sure Raphael and Veronica were seated with drinks before he left then. Then he ran to the Secretaries’ office.

 

“You guys will never believe this!” His voice rang out as he burst through the heavy wooden door. Four faces looked up at him suddenly distracted from their work. “Veronica came with her grandson! She’s come to find Lorenzo because of my letter. They are downstairs right now as we speak ordering wine. I know the letters are important, and I believe in them. But you have to pause right now and come have dinner with us.”

 

They all rushed down the stone steps and took seats at the long dark wooden table outside. Veronica sat at the end with Simon to her left and Raphael to his right. Maria sat next to Simon and Bella was next to her. While Francesca sat between Donatella and Raphael. They ate the most incredible meal Simon thought he had ever had. Angelina, Bella’s mother, had truly outdone herself. While they all sat and digested, they started talking about Veronica and her plan to find Lorenzo. 

 

“Tell us about your Lorenzo.” Simon said, desperate to hear the story behind it all. How they had fallen in love. 

 

Veronica sighed and smiled. “I was taking an art course in Tuscany, staying with a family near Zienna, and they had a son named Lorenzo. And it was love at first sight. He had such gentle blue eyes and he told me I was very beautiful.  Sei bella più della luna.”

 

“Sei ancora molto bello.” Maria chimed in. Veronica reached out her hand and thanked her in perfect italian. 

 

“He gave me this ring.” She took a small ring with one small stone of a chain around her neck and handed it to Simon to look at, who cood. “We wanted to get married, but I’d had exams back in England and my parents would never approve, they wanted him to be from Mexico like us or at least of Mexican descent, but not Italian. So I got scared and I ran away. Now what I truly want is to tell him, I’m sorry I was such a coward.”

 

Simon gave her an encouraging smile, but looked away when Raphael spoke up. “Of course a card or letter is just too simple.”

 

Simon rolled his eyes and laughed, before turning back to Veronica. “So you’ve come to find your Lorenzo.”

 

“Yes,” Veronica smiled. “And I think I know where he is.” 

 

Simon gasped. “Where?”

 

“On a farm just outside of Zienna. Raphael is taking me there in the morning.” She looked at the ring as she played with it between her fingers.

 

“Only because I didn’t want you to hitchhike.” Raphael joked leaning towards her. 

 

“Yes well. He thinks it’s a big mistake.” Veronica sighed. 

 

“Because you don’t have a romantic bone in your body.” Donatella said frankly. 

 

“No, no. It’s because I am a realist.” Raphael defended himself, leaning back slightly. 

 

“No it’s because you’re an Englishman!” Bella laughed loudly. 

“Cold as fish.” Francesca told him.

 

“Right right, and remind me.” Raphael played along this time. “Who was it who wrote Romeo and Juliet?”

 

“William Shakespearetti. A Great Italian.” Maria  said proudly and laughed. 

 

Raphael turned to Simon. “Their mad! Their mad!”

 

Veronica got up as a clock in the distance struck 11 o’clock, Simon stood as well and she hugged him. “Simon, my dear, thank you so much. This has been lovely.”

 

Raphael stood as well and both bid their goodbyes and began to walk away. Simon sat once more. “How wonderful would it be if she found her Romeo?”

 

Bella put her hand on Simon’s shoulder. “Imagine if she did. Fifty years later. All because you found that letter.”

 

Simon’s heart sored. “Nobody would believe it if it weren’t true.”

 

Simon got up and ran to catch up with Raphael and Veronica. He had to go with them or at least ask if her could. His heart was in it now and he knew he could also write an amazing story to go with it. “Wait wait!”

 

“Oh g- Here he comes!” Raphael said and crossed his arms. 

 

Simon turned to Veronica. “May I come with you to find Lorenzo?”

 

Simon and Veronica smiled at each other, but Raphael injected. “Come with us? What about this fiance of yours? You’re in the City of Love and you want to come with us?”

 

“Yes, I do.” Simon confirmed. “Because she’s busy and I’m free. Of course if its not and intrusion.”

 

“It’s not an intrusion.” Veronica told Simon before her grandson started bickering with her, or at least trying. He was not successful, as Veronica had turned to Simon. 

 

“I do have one thing to admit before you say yes. This is not entirely selfless. I mean it started out that way, I just wanted to answer your letter, that’s all. But now I think it’s so awesome what you’re doing. I think people should hear this story. And with your permission, I’d love to write about it.” Simon was a nervous babbler, but he eventually got out what he wanted to say. 

 

“A journalist.” Raphael said flatly. “Abuela, a journalist. Trying to pry into our private lives.”

 

Simon and Veronica rolled their eyes in sync. Veronica gave her grandson a slight push on the shoulder. “Come now Raphael. It’s hardly state secret, now is it?”

 

Simon butted in. “I’m not a journalist actually. I’d like to be some day.”

 

“And you think Abuela’s story is your ticket?” Raphael asked.

 

Simon ignored the condescending tone and chose to just answer the question. “I think it’s a story worth telling.”

 

“We would love to have you with us.” Veronica said. Simon smiled at her before raising his eyebrows at Raphael. 

 

“We would.” He said with a slightly forced smile. 

 

So it was decided they would leave for Zienna together the next morning. Simon couldn’t wait. He was excited to be telling a story that mattered to him and hopefully see some amazing places. He knew by the end he would have a wonderful new friend in Veronica, despite her considerable seniority. He was even interested to see if he would find a side of Raphael that was tolerable. Though he highly doubted the last one would happen. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! If you did please comment!! It absolutely makes my day!! The next chapter should be up soon! In the meantime, check out my other Saphael fic, The Statistical Probability of Mending a Vampire's Broken Heart, at: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7155287
> 
> Thanks for reading, kudos, and comments!!!!


	5. Act One Scene Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon, Raphael, and Veronica meet their first Lorenzo, and it's not exactly the ending they were hoping for.

The next morning Simon grabbed his shoulder bag, his writing notebook, and put on a light Polo shirt. He walked down the worn stone steps of his Airbnb. He greeted Veronica and Raphael quickly before hopping into the car they had rented to make the trip to find Veronica’s long lost true long, Lorenzo Bartolini. Veronica wore a lovely light sundress which popped beautifully against her tanned skin. Raphael wore another gorgeous suit, it looked like it cost more then most of the clothing in Simon’s wardrobe. He realized that Raphael must wear a suit everyday if this was any indication. He imagined how uncomfortable that must have been on a plane, or just going through airport security. 

 

They got in the car and began the trip the farm Veronica had guessed Lorenzo would be. The first few minutes of the ride were quiet, that quiet escalated to awkward when Simon accidentally met Raphael’s eyes in the rearview mirror. Simon immediately averted his gaze, pretending the yellowish leather seats were incredibly interesting, and that Simon had not suddenly noticed how lovely Raphael’s eyes were. He felt almost guilty thinking about it. Simon remembered he had forgotten to say goodbye to Izzy that morning. She was sleeping in before the wine auction that day and he hadn’t wanted to wake her. 

This gave him something to do while Raphael also looked away and kept driving and Veronica turned on the radio. He got out his phone and went to Izzy’s contact which had three little blue hearts next to her name. He then typed a message to her. 

 

“Sorry I didn’t say goodbye, you looked so peaceful this morning. Have fun at the auction! ~Simon” He completed the message and pressed send. 

 

The next bit of the trip was spent in silence, except for Veronica occasionally singing along with the radio in Italian. When the GPS told Raphael they were halfway there, he pulled over so the group could stretch their legs. They had stopped by a small area where a large olive tree shaded a picnic table and looked out over a small village. Veronica chose to sit on a rock opposite of Simon who sat on the bench of the picnic table to chat. Raphael sat on top of the table and looked out on the village below him while his grandmother talked with the newest thorn in his side. 

 

Simon pulled his feet up in to the sun bleached bench and looked at Veronica. “So how much time did you actually spend with Lorenzo?”

 

“Oh every moment we could.” Veronica assured him with a smile. “I would go to meet him after class at the farm where he was working. We would sit under the trees and share some bread with tomatoes and olive oil.” 

 

Simon’s heart fluttered. He remembered doing things like that with Izzy when they had first started dating. “That is so romantic.”

 

Behind him, Simon heard Raphael scoff. “What’s so romantic about eating in the dirt?”

 

SImon was about to answer with a witty  retort, but Veronica interrupted him, which was probably for the best. “The dirt. Well you see Raphael, Lorenzo loved the Earth. He loved talking to me about the rain, the springs of fresh water. Oh Simon, we walked for miles and miles. We’d lay in the dry grass and I still remember the smell of his sweet hot sweat.”

 

Simon looked at his lap and blushed. Raphael wanted to be swallowed by the ground for a moment hearing what his grandmother was saying. “Okay Abuela. We-we get the picture.”

 

Veronica looked at Simon cheekily and shrugged. Simon laughed and said, “You must feel like you are finding your long lost soulmate.”

 

Veronica smiled and nodded. But this smile was soon wiped off her face when Raphael turned around and snapped, “Her soulmate was my grandfather alright? Let’s not invalidate my entire existence.” 

 

He stormed off and Simon felt his ears heat up as he backtracked, “No, wait, I’m sorry. That is so clearly not what I meant!” 

 

For a moment things were deadly quiet. Raphael walked away from the others, closer to the edge of the lookout. Veronica fiddled with the ring that sat on the chain around her neck. She sighed, “Raphael is just like my late husband. Both always he sceptic. My first husband, he was a doctor and he always insisted that love was nothing but hormones. But under that cold medical exterior, he had such a warm passionate heart. Raphael is just the same.”

 

Simon smiled at her before looking at the young man she was talking about. While he thought no one was watching, SImon saw his shoulders slouch. He almost seemed defeated to the other boy. However, as soon as Raphael noticed Simon watching he was once again stiff as a board, very proper. 

 

“Tell me about the guy you’re in love with.” Veronica siad. It wasn’t a question, but Simon laughed. 

 

“I’m actually engaged to a woman. Her name is Isabel, I call her Izzy.” Simon laughed.

 

“Oh I’m sorry. You looked at Raphael earlier in a way... Well I just assumed. Not that either is a problem. My grandson himself is gay.” This was the first time he had seen Veronica flustered. It was almost comically different from her regular confidence.

 

“Oh, no it’s okay!” Simon bemused, though he was quite embarrassed for having been caught noticing her grandson earlier. “I’m bisexual. But um... anyway you were asking about the person I’m in love with. Izzy.”

 

“Yes.” Veronica answered, glad for the awkward moment passing so easily. Simon moved to the rock Veronica was sitting on.

 

“Well um. Izzy is a chef, she’s an amazing chef. She is opening a restaurant in New York in six weeks. That’s actually why we’re here. We’ve been meeting suppliers. It was supposed to be a couples trip with some of our friends, but Izzy is so focused on the restaurant, it’s her passion. And the whole couples trip got a little derailed when by best friend’s fiance fell in love with someone else and she was left alone on this couples trip. So she is spending time with Izzy and suppliers, they are actually in Livorno at a wine auction as we speak, and I am with you guys, following my bliss too, I guess. I’m sorry, what was the question?” Simon realized he was babbling, his specialty. But he and Veronica both laughed after he made the joke, so he figured he was in the clear. 

 

“And do your parents like her?” Veronica asked. 

 

Simon sighed. “Yeah, my mom likes her. They get along great. But um, my dad left us when I was nine, no warning. He just woke up one morning and decided he didn’t want to stay with us.”

 

Veronica looked horrified, she just didn’t understand how someone would want to abandon the wonderful young man sitting next to her. He had turned out to be a wonderful person anyways. “Simon. I am so sorry to hear about that.”

 

“Oh it-it’s alright. It was a really long time ago. I mean the last Harry Potter book wasn’t even out yet.” Simon gave her a sad smile. It felt like he was talking to his own grandmother. He had been incredibly close with his mom’s mother, who they had lost five years ago. But talking to Veronica made him feel like she was still looking after him. He gave he a quick side hug before they all got back in the car to finish their trip. 

 

They drove for a while, past beautiful vineyards, bountiful orchards, and the lush italian countryside, before they reached a small farm at the very outskirts of Zienna. Veronica seemed to get quite nervous as the car slowed to a stop and Simon squeezed her shoulder. They all got out of the car and began to walk towards the door. 

 

“So how shall we go about this?” Raphael asked. 

 

“Ring the doorbell.” Veronica answered simply. 

 

Raphael looked at Simon in disbelief and Simon just smiled at him.

 

“What if the wife answers and flies into a fit of jealous rage?” Raphael offered.

 

Veronica rose her eyebrows and giggled. “Well, I’d be flattered.”

 

With that she rang the doorbell and a few seconds later a man who looked to be Veronica’s age answered. He wore an old plaid shirt, a blue scarf around his neck, and a straw hat. “Si?”

 

“Bonjourno. I’m looking for a Lorenzo Bartalini.” Veronica smiled at the man in front of her. 

 

“Si, that’s me. I’ am Lorenzo Bartalini.” The man, Lorenzo, answered. 

 

Veronica gasped and Raphael reached around Veronica and Simon to stick out his hand. “Hello, I’m Raphael Santiago, and this is my grandmother, Veronica, and, uh, Simon.” 

 

“Hi.” Simon said lamely. 

 

“I’m Veronica, do you remember?” 

 

The man looked confused, Veronica however, did not. She turned to Simon and Raphael. “It’s not him.”

 

Simon felt the disappointment run through his veins. “Are you sure?”

 

Veronica nodded, “That’s not his eyes.”

 

“Let’s just make sure.” Raphael said the them before turning back to the bewildered man in the doorway. “Do you remember what you were doing in the summer of 1957?”

 

“Yes! The summer of 1957, I’ll never forget! I met the most beautiful girl. She was an art student in Tuscany!” He began and the trio all looked hopefully at each other. “We married that year.”

 

Simon and Veronica smiled at each other and began to walk back to the car, leaving Raphael there while the man continued. “I CURSE that woman!”

 

“Oh no!” Simon said.”

 

“I curse her eyes. I curse her teeth. I curse her mustache!” He continued to rant and Raphael began to scurry after the pair back to the car. “But why are you asking? Why would you bring up such horrible memories!?”

 

Simon and Veronica were both busting at the seams with laughter as he began yelling at them in rushed italian. They got in the car and the old man shook his fist at them. Raphael spoke as he started to drive them away for the angered italian. “Well, can’t say we didn’t try abuela. Sorry.”

 

Somin rose his eyes at Raphael through the rearview mirror. “Are you for real?”

 

“If I actually knew what that question meant I might attempt to answer it.” Raphael sassed him. 

 

He can't be the only Lorenzo Bartalini in Tuscany!” Simon defended. 

 

“Well he’s the only one around here so.” Raphael rolled his eyes at the boy in the back seat. 

 

Veronica broke their bickering. “I haven’t flown all the way from London to pack it in now!”

 

“Abuela. What do you want to do? Go knocking on every door asking if Lorenzo is in?” Raphael asked his grandmother in disbelief. 

 

Veronica looked at Simon through the rearview mirror. He shrugged. “How many can there be?”

 

When they got back to the Santiago’s hotel they sat by the pool because Raphael had wanted to swim. There they found out exactly how many there could be, and Raphael was not pleased. 

 

“Seventy-four!? Seventy-four Lorenzo Bartolini's and you want to go on a manhunt? No. Absolutely not. We are going home in the morning.” Raphael exclaimed on a rollercoaster of emotions. He stood in front of them in a robe.

 

Veronica paid him no mind as she looked at the map of Italy covered in little red dots, each of them representing a different Lorenzo. “Oh Raphael. Do calm down. Simon what do you think?”

 

Raphael laughed dubiously. “What does he think!? Abuela he doesn’t think. This was his big idea. Come on let’s go home. It’s over done. The curtains have closed. Okay, we found Nemo!” 

 

Simon had had about enough and cut him off. “Listen. This is my job. I find things. I find people. And through process of elimination, and caveat em dore which will require assembling a few more facts, we can narrow the field down considerably.” 

 

Raphael looked at Simon incredibly impressed before smiling. “Did Mr. Awesome-for-real just use Caveat Em Dore?” 

 

Simon rolled his eyes. “Oh please. I went to Brown okay? Double major, minor in latin.” 

 

Raphael nodded. “This is madness. Madness!”

 

“Raphael.” Veronica started. “Didn’t you say you wanted to go for a swim?”

 

When Raphael began to argue, she put up her hand and said, “Walk!”

 

Simon laughed a little, before watching Raphael walk away. He took his robe off and put in on a tanning chair. Leaving his flip flops behind, in only his trunks, one could see the incredible body Raphael Santiago kept hidden under those suits. He was very handsome, exactly Simon’s type, if he weren’t so annoying. And Simon weren’t so engaged. Simon watched the other man’s muscles ripple as he dove into the pool, his attention only brought back to the task at hand by Veronica.

 

“He’s a good-looking boy. Isn’t he?” Veronica smiled at him knowingly. Simon blushed and giggled. He then tried to change the subject. 

 

“Alright. Are you sure Lorenzo Would never have left this area?”

 

“Oh I’m certain! He loved this land.” Veronica answered. 

 

“Okay.” Simon nodded. He then pointed to the chain Veronica was playing with. “May I?”

 

She handed it over to him and he measured it out before drawing a circle on the map with a fifty kilometer radius. He then looked up at her, gesturing to the dots in the circle he had just made. “Our Lorenzo’s!” 

 

Veronica smiled at Simon and kissed the ring on the chain from her Lorenzo, before he face changed and she asked the one question that would bring Simon back to reality. “Are you sure that you have time for all this?”

 

Simon looked down at his hands, fingers folded together on the wire table. Izzy. He had been having such a wonderful time with Veronica, and even Raphael, that she had forgotten they had had plans. He had to call. He held up one finger and pulled out is phone. He walked over to the hedges that surrounded the pool area and dialed Izzy. 

 

It rang a few times before someone picked up on the other line. “Hello?”

 

“Clary?” Simon asked wondering why his best friend had picked up Izzy’s phone.

 

“Oh, hey Simon!” Clary said on the other end.

 

“Uh hi. Can I talk to Izzy please?” He asked.

 

“Oh, um. Actually she had me answer because she is bidding right now and we aren’t supposed to be on our phones. Actually I’m glad you called.” She said.

 

“Yeah?” Simon asked a little confused, but still smiling at how excited Clary was.

 

“So the guy hosting the auction? He loves us. Izzy and me. Like thinks we are just the best. He invited us to stay until Friday. Izzy was going to call you later to see if that was okay, but since you called now, do you mind if she and I stay here until Friday? She feels terrible, but this is a great opportunity.”

 

“Friday? Uh, yeah actually. I’m going to need until friday as well.” Simon said this worked out perfect he could help Veronica get her happy ending and Izzy and Clary would have a great time too. It was a win-win as Izzy would say. 

“What are you doing until Friday?” Clary asked her best friend.

 

“Did Izzy not tell you?” Simon asked. 

 

“No.” Clary said. “We’ve been so wrapped up with vendors and such she didn’t mention what you were up to.”

 

“Oh.” Simon mumbled. “I’m writing a story.”

 

“What Iz? Oh oh, that’s awesome Simon, but I gotta go the wine guy wants to talk to us! Have fun with your story! BYE!” Clary yelled through the phone.

 

Simon vaguely heard Izzy yell “I Love You!” before the line went dead. Simon turned around to look at Veronica, and saw that a very wet Raphael was standing next to her. He chose to not look at him and instead focus on the other good news. “Veronica! I’m free!”

 

“Free?” Raphael questioned.

 

Veronica wiggled gleefully in her chair. “He’s coming!”

 

Raphael simply echoed her words as he put his robe back on in mock cheers. “He’s coming! Fantastic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! If you did please comment!! It absolutely makes my day!! The next chapter should be up soon! In the meantime, check out my other Saphael fic, The Statistical Probability of Mending a Vampire's Broken Heart, at: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7155287
> 
> Also if you notice any errors please let me know! <3
> 
> Thanks for reading, kudos, and comments!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! If you did please comment!! It absolutely makes my day!! The next chapter should be up soon! In the meantime, check out my other Saphael fic, The Statistical Probability of Mending a Vampire's Broken Heart, at: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7155287
> 
> Thanks for reading, kudos, and comments!!!!


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